Hydraulic compress.



E. L Ma/WY] HYDRAULIC COMPRESE,

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E. L. MCGARY.

HYDRAULIC COMPHESS.

APPLICATION HLED APH. 16. 1917.

Patented Feb. 11, 12H9.

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FIC.

EUGENE L. McG-ARY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES F. ELI/IES ENGINEERING WORKS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

HYDRAULIC coivrrnnss.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application led April 16, 1917. Serial No. 162,500.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE L. MGGARY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Compresses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a hydraulic compress of general application and particularly designed to extract oil or moisture from oleiferous clays and similar substances requiring high pressures to eeot the operation.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which, considered structurally, is particularly designed to withstand the severe strains incidental to a device of this character, and designed to be constructed with the least possible amount of material but with this minimum amount of material disposed so as to obtain the most effective utilization and mutual bracing effect of lthe same.

Another object of the invention is to lighten, as far as possible, the conventional structural parts without deteriorating from the necessary strength to withstand strains usual in such devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described, which considered with reference to its operation can be worked economically, both in the amount and character of the pressure fluid used, and in the reduction of the period of inactivity of certain parts. rlhis phase of economical actuation, particularly in the use of fluid pressure, is attained broadly by designing the machine so that the material acted upon will be subjected to a series of steps which use the expensive high pressure fluid only to effect the final compression act. In the device herein disclosed this is effected by three compressive steps and a nal ejecting or unpacking step.

The first step is designed merely to pack the material into its containing receptacle utilizing a low pressure and therefore relatively inexpensive force. rlhen the receptacle with its packed material is moved into position to be subjected to two succeeding steps which consist in moving a plunger to compress the material as far as possible with low pressure fluid and then automatically utilizing an extremely high pressure iuid for the short time necessary to obtain the final extraction of the oil and other products desired. Finally the low pressure packing is again utilized for the purpose of ejecting the exhausted material from its contained receptacle.

Another obj ect of the invention incidental to the desire for economical actuation is to provide a construction in which advantage is taken of the weight of the parts to insure an easy movement of the several parts into inoperative position, thus again economizing in pressure forces utilized and utilizing the weight force to insure an ease of operation in the several steps.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.l

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a preferred embodiment of my invention and with the rams and plunger in an inoperative position; j

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 1, looking at the same at the left hand side of the figure;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view somewhat enlarged of the plunger and receptacle and taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detailed views of the strainer head shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 being a plan view of the same with the screen broken away and Fig. 7 being a transverse sectional view taken on the lines 7 7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings it is noted that the press proper is of rugged construction and includes a main bottom supporting frame 10 mounted upon a foundation 11 projecting upwardly from which frame is a pair of heavy main supporting columns 12 and 13. Supported from the press proper through a supplemental base frame 14 and bolted thereto is a third upstanding column 15 constituting part of an auxiliary press. These columns are disposed in line. and spaced approximately equal distances apart, as shown in Fig. 5. The middle column 13 constitutes a pivotal support upon which is mounted a swinging receptacle carriage 1`6` or turn-table preferably constructed in parts and bolted together about the column 13. The carriage includes a pair of diametrically disposed cylindrical receptacles 17 and 18 designed to be swung by the turning of the carriageinto position between the central and either of the other columns, so as to bring first one and then the other of the receptacles into axial alinement with the rams and the plunger hereinafter described. These receptacles are opened at top and bottom and are provided with encircling jackets 19 (see Fig. 3) which act to reinforce the side walls but are primarily designed to be suitably supplied with a heating substance in order to maintain the material inthe receptacles at a temperature higher than the atmospheric temperature in which the process takes place.

The base frame 14 supports an open top and closed bottomv low pressure cylinder 2O (see Fig. 4) in which is suitably mounted a longplunger 21 movable in axial alinement with the receptacle positioned above the same. rllhe upper end of this plunger is formed into an enlarged head 22 designed tomove into the lower open end of the receptacle in the succeedingY operations of the press, so as to close the bottom ofwhichever of the receptaclesis iny linetherewith, tomove into the` receptacle so as to pack the material therein, or to move intothe receptacle so as to eject the material out through the open top of the receptacle. The cylinder 20 is supplied with low pressure fluid admitted through a conduit 23 adjacent the bottom thereof. The ow through this conduit is controlled by a suitable valve usually constituting part of a control system and herein indicatedy diagrammatically by the valve handle 24. The plunger 21 is designed to have a length so that it-may be moved entirely through the length of the receptacle in the ejecting feature of the operation. While this plunger is relatively long, it does not have todo high pressure work and therefore may be made light in weight As shown it is hollow so as to economize in material and this' lightI construction further tends to assure an ease of operation ofv this member in its several operating functions.

A webbedreinforcedl arm 2.5y is pivoted to theV column 13 so'- as to. be swung hor-i- Zontally about this column as a center, to and from a position disposed across the top of the receptacle positioned over the plun- 'ger 21;. This closure, member is provided with a reduced extension 26 at the free end thereof which is designed to underlap a stop member 27 fixed to the upper end of the thirdy column 15. rIhe carriage 16is free to slide upwardly for a limited distance on the column 13 and the closure member 25 is normally positioned a slight distance above the receptacle when the carriage is in its lo-wermost position so as to clear the same. It will be understood that the plunger acting u on the material in the receptacle will a so act on v.the receptacle and through the receptacle on its carriage to slide the same up along the column thereby to bring the upper end of the receptacle into firm engagement with the closure member when the same is interposed across its path of movement as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Referring to the press proper it will be noted that a relatively short open top' jack ram cylinder 28 is carried by the main frame 10 between the columns 12 and 13 and in axial alinement below the receptacle 17 positioned between these main columns. A short cylindrical jack ram 29 is fitted in the upper end of ythis cylinder and is designed to be raised for a short distance by low pressure fluid admitted through the inlet 30. This flow through this inlet is controlled by any suitable means usual with devices of this character.l The upper end of the jack ram is defined by an outturned flange 31 designed to rest on top of the cylinder 28 when in collapsed position and constituting a seat for a removable strainer head 32 fitted within the upper end of the ram to. brace the upper portion thereof. This jack ram isinternally reinforced by a plurality of intersecting ribs 33 at the bottom thereof and connecting opposite portions ofthe outlining wall.

The strainer head is provided with an upper working face 34 (see Figs. 3 and 7). The working face is provided concentrically thereof with a flat recess 35 (see Fig. 6), the bottomof which contains a plurality of circular and relatively deep recesses 36 connected by a radially disposed passageway 37 and alll leading to a draining canal 38 eX- tending through the head downwardly and outwardly to an outer side of the same. The recesses 36 and passageway 37 are packed with some suitable absorbent material, such as mineral wool 39, which is coveredv vby a screen 40 of canvas or other suitable substance fitted within the shallow recess 35all as more particularly shown in Fig. 7

The upper portions of the columns 12 and 13 are tied together bv means of amassive high pressure cylinder frame 41 containing an open bottom cylinder 42 integral thereywith land disposed in axial alinement with the ram 2,9 and. positioned some distance above,Y the receptacle 17. The cylinder 42 opens downward and is provided with a ram 43 made in two parts for convenience of construction. The ram is formed of two cylinders fitted together to extend in alinement. The lower projecting cylinder 44 is hollow and is provided with a heavy outstanding rim 45 at its upper portion which tends to reinforce the entire ram intermediate its length.

The upper part or cylinder 46 which fits within the cylinder 42 is hollow and the upper part is interiorly reinforced by cross ribs 47 similar to the ribs 33 hereinbefore described. The lower cylinder terminates in a flat working face 48 as shown in Fig. 1.

An open top pull-back cylinder 51 is' mounted on top of the cylinder 42 and has a relatively small plunger 52 reciprocally mounted therein and extending upwardly out of the top of the cylinder 51. The pull back plunger is provided at its upper end with a cross-head 53, the opposite ends of which are connected by means of suspension rods 54 with the rim 45 to form a yoke construction therewith. This part of the main press is so arranged that when low pressure is admitted through the port 55 in the cylinder 51 the rising of the pull back plunger will act directly on the lower part of the ram 43 to withdraw the same from the interior of the receptacle and to position the same above the receptacle so as to permit the swinging movement of the latter into position offset from the rams. The ram 43 is actuated, first by low pressure fluid and then by high pressure fluid, admitted thereto through a port 56 in the side of its cylinder. This change from low to high pressure may be attained by a suitable manual control but preferably by means of any suitable change pressure valve 57 which may be of a type shown in the application of Harvey Slater, Serial No. 144,568, filed J anuary 25, 1917.

1n general it is to be understood that low pressure admitted through a low pressure supply pipe 58 passes through the pipe 59 to the cylinder and that, when the pressure within the cylinder resists any further move ment of the ram under the action of the low pressure, the change valve automatically shifts to close the low pressure pipe and to open a high pressure pipe 60 to the pipe 59. It is to be understood further that the change valve herein disclosed is no part of the invention relating particularly to the press construction and that any automatic change pressure valve is suitable at this place.

The outer column 12 is provided with a stop collar 61 fixed thereto with its lower end horizontal with the lower end of the stop 27 and like said stop arranged to overlap and be engaged by the rims 62 projecting outwardly from the receptacles 17 and 18 when the receptacles are raised into engagement therewith.

In operation it will be understood that the receptacle carriage is rotated radially about its pivoting column until one of the receptacles 17 or 18 is positioned between the columns 13 and 15 with its upper end of the receptacle open to receive a charge of the material to be acted upon. By a suitable manipulation of the valve 24, low pressure fluid is admitted into the cylinder 20, which acts upon the plunger 21 therein to move the same up into position at or slightly within the lower end of the receptacle 18, thus forming a closure for the bottom of said receptacle. The receptacle is then filled with the material to be treated and under some conditions a loose disk P of suitable diameter and wrapped with a fabric is placed over the material contained within the receptacle. The closure member 25 is then swung upon its pivotal supporting column 13 into position with the free end engaging under the fixed stop 27. By a further manipulation of the valve the plunger 2l is caused to move farther into the receptacle acting thereon first to raise the top end of the receptacle int-o closing contact with the closure member 25. The closure member acts to stop the movement of the material under the action of the plunger and the actuation of the plunger is continued until the material is firmly packed within the receptacle so that when this plunger is withdrawn, the material will be maintained frictionally within the open bottom receptacle. When the desired packing has been effected the pressure is released in the cylinder 20 thus permitting the plunger to fall of its own weight back into its cylinder and clear of the receptacle with its packed material therein.

'The carriage is then swung until the filled chamber is positioned between the columns 12 and 13 beneath the stop collar 61 and in vertical alinement with the jack and high pressure rams. Low pressure fluid is then admitted to the j ack ram cylinder causing the strainer head to move upwardly until the fabric screen engages the bottom of the cylinder alined therewith. The strainer head acts 0n the receptacle to raise the same into engagement with the stop as has been previously described with reference to the actuation of the packing receptacle. With the strainer head in tight closing engagement with the bottom of the receptacle, the pressure supply to the jack ram cylinder is shut off, thus locking the jack ram in closing position.

By a suitable manipulation of the valves controlling the low pressure admitted through the pipe 58 and through the` automatic change valve, the low pressure will act upon the main high pressure ram to cause the same to enter the open upper end of the receptacle and to ascend into engagement with the disk P and the compression of the material commences. The liquid substances compressed from the material drains through the strainer head and out through the draining canal 38 to be collected as is usual with devices of this character.

As the compression proceeds under. the low pressure condition, thus outlined, resulting from the downward movement of the main ram, a condition will eventually arise where the low pressure is unable further to move the main ram. This causes a reactory pressure condition in the fluid supply which automatically reacts on the change pressure valve to open the high pressure directly to the high pressure cylinder. The high pressure fluid then acts upon the material in the cylinder, further compressing the same and further extracting any substance in the material in the receptacle and this operation may continue until the high pressure fluid can exert no further compressive action on the material.

The high pressure condition in the cylinder is then released and fluid under pressure, preferably low pressure, is admitted into the pull back cylinder which acts upon the pull back piston to raise the main ram out of the receptacle and into a raised position clear of the top of the/same so as to permit this receptacle to be swung around into its initial position alined with the low pressure plunger 4:2. Low pressure liquid is again admitted into the receptacle 20 causing an upward movement of the plunger through the length of the receptacle to force the compact and exhausted material out through the upper open end of the receptacle.

The receptacle having been discharged of its contents is now ready to be filled with a fresh charge and the cycle of operation repeated.

It will be understood that during the operation of discharging and packing the material in one receptacle, the other receptacle is in operative position below the main ram to be acted upon, so as to have 'the substances extracted therefrom and in this way a continuous operation of the machine is attained. The machine is idle only during the time in which the carriage is' shifted about its 180o of turn from one into the other of the operative positions of the receptacle. I

By means of a device of this character, the expensive high pressure fluid is used only to effect the final. compressive operation and for all other purposes the relatively inexpensive lighter pressure fluid is utilized to effect the several operations preliminary to the final compression of the material. Even the time for introducing the high pressure fluid is accurately regulated by the failure of the low pressure fluid to further act effectively upon the compressed material thus insuring economy in the use of the expensive high pressure fluid.

While the parts are intentionally made as light as is consistent with a strong construction, the metal used is so disposed as to take the maximum advantage of its disposition and structurally weak points are reinforced thus providing a relatively light device compared with similar devices heretofore used in this high pressure work.

While I have shown and described, and have pointed out in the annexed claims, certain novel features of my invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. In a press, the combination of a column, a frame pivoted for rotary movement on said column, said frame including a pair of diametrically disposed receptacles opened at top and bottom and each designed to be rotated into two set positions, means for closing one end of either of said receptacles when in either of said two set positions, a ram positioned to enter and compress the material in either of the receptacles, when the same is in one of its set positions, and means positioned to enter the other receptacle and pack the material therein.

2. In a press, the combination of a pair of closing members movable upwardly from inoperative positions, a pair of receptacles above the normal inoperative positions of said members and mounted to swing about an axis disposed between the rams and parallel to their axis of movement, so as to bring first one and then the other of the receptacles into set positions, said receptacles being open at top and bottom, and adapted when in said set positions to have their lower ends closed by said members, and a ram operatively mounted to enter one of said closed bottom receptacles to compress the material therein.

3. In a press, a single machine including a frame carrying a receptacle mounted for swinging movement into two positions, a ram operatively associated with said receptacle when in one of said positions to enter the same and lightly pack the material therein, a closure for the receptacle when in said position, said closure mounted for swinging movement about the axis of swing of the receptacle, a second ram operatively associated with said receptacle when swung into the second of said positions to enter the same and strongly compress the packed material therein, and means for actuating said rams at will.

t. In a press, a single machine including a frame carrying `a receptacle mounted for swinging movement into two positions, a ram operatively associated with said receptacle when in one of said positions to enter the same and lightly pack the material therein, a second ram operatively associated with said receptacle when swung into the second of said positions to enter the same and strongly compress the packed material therein, and means for actuating said rams at will, said. first named ram adapted to enter the receptacle, when again swung into position to be engaged thereby to eject the compressed material therefrom.

5. In a press, a single machine including a frame carrying a receptacle mounted for swinging movement into two positions, a ram operatively associated with said receptacle when in one of said positions to enter the same and lightly pack the material therein, a second ram operatively associated with said receptacle when swung into the second of said positions to enter the same and strongly compress the packed material therein, means for actuating said rams at will, and a removable closure disposed at the end of the receptacle opposite the end in which the iirst named ram enters to pack the material.

6. In a press, the combination with two upwardly moving' low pressure closure members, a pair or' open bottom receptacles mounted for rotary movement about an axis disposed between the members and each adapted to be swung into position to have its bottom end closed by either of said members in their upward movement, and a high pressure ram normally disposed above the receptacles and in axial alinement with one of said members and adapted to coact therewith and compress the material in the receptacles disposed therebetween, while the other receptacle is free to have its top end open.

7. In a press, the combination of a column, a frame pivoted for rotary movement on said column and free to slide thereon for a limited distance, stops for limiting said sliding movement of the :frame along said column, said frame including a pair of diametrically disposed receptacles opened at top and bottom and each designed to be rotated into two set positions, a ram positioned to enter and compress the material in either of the receptacles, when the same is in one of its set positions, and means positioned to enter the other receptacle and pack the material therein, said rams acting on the frame to raise the same into engagement with the stops while acting on the material in the receptacles.

8. In a press, a frame including three columns, each provided with stops, a receptacle supporting frame mounted on one of the columns below the stop on said column, said frame adapted to be swung into one position beneath the stop on one of the other columns and into another position beneath the stop on the third column, a ram disposed between the first named trame supporting column and another of the columns adapted to engage the same and raise the frame into engagement with certain of the stops and another ram disposed between the frame supporting column and the third column to raise the frame into engagement with certain of the stops, said `trame being free to fall away from the stops when free of the plungers.

9. In a press, the combination with a ram and means for moving the same, of a. removable head for the ram, said head provided with a working face having a recess therein, and absorbent material packed in said recess.

10. In a press, the combination with a ram and means for moving the same, of a removable head for the ram, said head provided with a working face having a recess therein, and absorbent material packed in said recess, said head provided with a draining passageway leading downwardly and outwardly through the head from said recess.

11. In a press, the combination with a ram and means for moving the same, of a removable head for the ram, said head provided with a working'face having a shallow recess in the same and having a circular recess in the bottom of said shallow recess, absorbent material iilling said circular recess, and a screen fitted in said flat recess and covering the absorbent material.

12. In a press, the combination with a rain and means for moving the same, of a removable head for the ram, said head provided with a working face having a shallow recess in the same, a circular recess in the bottom of said shallow recess, absorbent material filling said circular recess, a screen fitted in said shallow recess and covering the absorbent material, and a draining passageway leading from the recess containing said absorbent material;

13. In a press, the combination with a receptacle opened at top and bottom, a plunger provided with a strainer head adapted to be moved into position to close the bottom of said receptacle, a ram adapted to move along theaXis of movement of the head and into the top of said receptacle to compress the material therein and to pass substances pressed therefrom through said strainer head, and means for moving the receptacle to and from an opera-tive position disposed between the head and ram.

14. In a press, the combination with a receptacle opened at top and bottom, a plunger provided with a strainer head adapted to be moved into position to close the bottom of said receptacle, a ram adapted to move along the aXis of movement of the head and into the top of said receptacle to compress the material therein and to pass substances pressed therefrom through said strainer head, means for moving the receptacle to and from an operative position disposed between the head and ram, and means for moving the head and ram away from the receptacle to permit the same to be moved away from the aXis of movement of the ram and head.

15. In a press, a pair of columns, a receptacle mounted to swing on one of the columns into position between the columns, a ram positioned between the plunger and receptacle and adapted to enter the receptacle to pack or remove the material therefrom, and a closure member mounted to swing on one of the columns into position to close the top of the receptacle while the ram is packing the material in the receptacle.

16. In a press, a pair of columns, a receptacle mounted to swing on one of the columns into position between the columns, a ram positioned between the plunger and receptacle and adapted to enter the receptacle to pack or remove the material therefrom, a closure member mounted to swing on one of the columns into position to close the top of the receptacle while the ram is packing the material in the receptacle, and a stop on the column opposite the column carrying the closure member for engaging the free end of said member and hold the same in position.

17. In a press, a pair of columns, a receptacle mounted to swing on one of the columns into position between the columns, a ram positioned between the plunger and receptacle and adapted to enter the receptacle to pack or remove the material therefrom, a closure member mounted to swing on one of the columns into position. to close the top of the receptacle while the ram is packing the material in the receptacle, and a stop on the column opposite the column carrying the closure member for engaging the free end of said member and hold the same in position, said receptacle being free to move under the force of the ram acting on the material into engagement with said closure member.

18. In a press, a base, three columns liXed to said base and disposed in line, a pair of plunger cylinders mounted onthe base between the columns, a frame mounted on the middle column and carrying a pair of open end receptacles adapted to be positioned over either of said cylinders, rams in said cylinders adapted to be moved into position to close the open bottoms of said receptacles, and a third cylinder supported between two of the columns and provided with a ram adapted to move into the top of one of the closed bottom receptacles to compress the material therein.

19. In a press, a base, three columns fixed to said base and disposed in line, a pair of plunger cylinders mounted on the base between the columns, a frame mounted on the middle column and carrying a pair of open end receptacles adapted to be positioned over either of said cylinders, rams in said cylinders adapted to be moved into position to close the open bottoms of said receptacles, a third cylinder supported between two of the columns and provided with a ram adapted to move'into the top of one of the closed bottom receptacles to compress the material therein, and a closure member carried by the middle column and adapted to close the top of the other receptacle.

Signed at Chicago in the county of Cook Aand State of Illinois this 29th day of March,

EUGENE L. MCGARY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). C. 

